The Panopticon Writings (Hardcover)


The Panopticon project for a model prison obsessed the English philosopher Jeremy Bentham for almost 20 years. In the end, the project came to nothing; the Panopticon was never built. But it is precisely this that makes the Panopticon project the best exemplification of Bentham's own theory of fictions, according to which non-existent fictitious entities can have all too real effects. There is probably no building that has stirred more philosophical controversy than Bentham's Panopticon. The Panopticon is not merely, as Foucault thought, "a cruel, ingenious cage," in which subjects collaborate in their own subjection, but much more--constructing the Panopticon produces not only a prison, but also a god within it. The Panopticon is a machine which on assembly is already inhabited by a ghost. It is through the Panopticon and the closely related theory of fictions that Bentham has made his greatest impact on modern thought; above all, on the theory of power. The Panopticon writings are frequently cited, rarely read. This edition contains the complete "Panopticon Letters," together with selections from "Panopticon Postscript I" and "Fragment on Ontology," Bentham's fullest account of fictions. A comprehensive introduction by Miran Božovi? explores the place of Panopticon in contemporary theoretical debate.

Delivery AdviceNot available

Toggle WishListAdd to wish list
Review this Item

Product Description

The Panopticon project for a model prison obsessed the English philosopher Jeremy Bentham for almost 20 years. In the end, the project came to nothing; the Panopticon was never built. But it is precisely this that makes the Panopticon project the best exemplification of Bentham's own theory of fictions, according to which non-existent fictitious entities can have all too real effects. There is probably no building that has stirred more philosophical controversy than Bentham's Panopticon. The Panopticon is not merely, as Foucault thought, "a cruel, ingenious cage," in which subjects collaborate in their own subjection, but much more--constructing the Panopticon produces not only a prison, but also a god within it. The Panopticon is a machine which on assembly is already inhabited by a ghost. It is through the Panopticon and the closely related theory of fictions that Bentham has made his greatest impact on modern thought; above all, on the theory of power. The Panopticon writings are frequently cited, rarely read. This edition contains the complete "Panopticon Letters," together with selections from "Panopticon Postscript I" and "Fragment on Ontology," Bentham's fullest account of fictions. A comprehensive introduction by Miran Božovi? explores the place of Panopticon in contemporary theoretical debate.

Customer Reviews

No reviews or ratings yet - be the first to create one!

Product Details

General

Imprint

Verso Books

Country of origin

United Kingdom

Release date

July 1995

Availability

We don't currently have any sources for this product. If you add this item to your wish list we will let you know when it becomes available.

Authors

Editors

Dimensions

229 x 146mm (L x W)

Format

Hardcover

Pages

158

ISBN-13

978-1-85984-958-3

Barcode

9781859849583

Categories

LSN

1-85984-958-X



Trending On Loot